I feel like this whole break is shaping up to be eating and sleeping. If my family didn't make so much noise, I'd probably just sleep through the whole thing. At any rate it would be entertaining; I had a lot of dreams last night. First I dreamed I was seeing Kiros, but half the band had left and the other half looked like completely different people and I didn't recognize them. Then I dreamed I was a Pokemon trainer and somehow I got pushed into a raging river or something and got hurt pretty bad. Then I dreamed my teeth were falling out, which is positively the worst kind of dream to have. Then I dreamed I was spooning with this guy I've met like one time, and it was really random but I was totally cool with it. I think that's it. I kept waking up in the middle of stuff because my head was cold and my covers kept coming off. Brr. I'm going to sit in front of the fire now and try to be a little more excited about life.
It kind of bothers me how early Christmas starts. Don't get me wrong, the Christmas season is one of my favorite times of year. I love all the twinkling lights and I love how happy everybody is. Walking around the streets is like walking around Go-Co - you can talk to anyone and you'll get a smile or a laugh, whether you've ever met them or not. But seriously, the stores have been playing Christmas music for two weeks already. Don't wear it out, people.
It sickens me how the materialism of the season just gets worse and worse every year. This year I'm trying not to ask for a lot of things I don't need. I need a new phone, for instance, and socks that don't have holes in them. But I'm refraining from asking for a new iPod, even though mine fails, because at least it still plays music. I'm not asking for clothes or CDs, either. I could go for tickets to see Reel Big Fish at the Palladium in January, though... *hint hint* Yeah, but the best price I can find is $75. Boo.
Ok. La-la-la-laundry time, then left-overs. Routine. Blah. I hate predictability.
Spoonage?!
Why is my room so effing cold??? I'd get as much warmth sleeping out in my car... with the heater off. Anybody up for spooning...?
I went to brunch with Wanda today and afterward we went in search of a cafe that served steamers. We found one downtown and I got the best mint chocolate steamer I've ever had. Then we jammed a little and watched some Lovely Complex, which is pretty much the most adorable show ever except for maybe My Neighbor Totoro (but that's a movie, not a show). I've been playing my bass a lot lately. I wish I was in a band so I'd have more motivation to practice. Oh, and so I'd have a good excuse to travel across the country in a van. ^_^
Then my mom made me come home to see my sister and then go visit my grandpa. I figured we were supposed to spend quality time or something but we just watched Oprah for like an hour, which was painfully boring and I wished I'd stuck around at Wanda's and played bass some more. I painted my nails fluorescent pink and worked on my string project to pass the time. But then my mommy made me grilled cheese with tomato in it, and the cheese was the right color (i.e. not orange like the stuff in Lane), and all was forgiven.
I watched Wall-E with Ash and his family tonight. Cutest movie ever!! Especially from the perspective of a comm major who's gone through the process of telling a story without dialog. Not that Wall-E had NO dialog, but the parts that didn't have it, didn't need it, and even the parts that had it told the story very visually. I guess once you get into film this is how you start to think about all movies without even trying. Haha.
Then Ash and I went to visit Chaaz, who didn't say much because he was busy slaying zombies. I'm pretty sure the only information we actually exchanged was that I do not, in fact, have a boyfriend at school, thank you very much for asking. Now I'm listening to some lovely acoustic music to try and purge my mind of the rather gruesome thought of zombies spawning and eating people. And still working on not freezing. I think I'll try and sleep now; it's probably my warmest option. If I start having zombie nightmares... I just have to remember to count my fingers.....
I went to brunch with Wanda today and afterward we went in search of a cafe that served steamers. We found one downtown and I got the best mint chocolate steamer I've ever had. Then we jammed a little and watched some Lovely Complex, which is pretty much the most adorable show ever except for maybe My Neighbor Totoro (but that's a movie, not a show). I've been playing my bass a lot lately. I wish I was in a band so I'd have more motivation to practice. Oh, and so I'd have a good excuse to travel across the country in a van. ^_^
Then my mom made me come home to see my sister and then go visit my grandpa. I figured we were supposed to spend quality time or something but we just watched Oprah for like an hour, which was painfully boring and I wished I'd stuck around at Wanda's and played bass some more. I painted my nails fluorescent pink and worked on my string project to pass the time. But then my mommy made me grilled cheese with tomato in it, and the cheese was the right color (i.e. not orange like the stuff in Lane), and all was forgiven.
I watched Wall-E with Ash and his family tonight. Cutest movie ever!! Especially from the perspective of a comm major who's gone through the process of telling a story without dialog. Not that Wall-E had NO dialog, but the parts that didn't have it, didn't need it, and even the parts that had it told the story very visually. I guess once you get into film this is how you start to think about all movies without even trying. Haha.
Then Ash and I went to visit Chaaz, who didn't say much because he was busy slaying zombies. I'm pretty sure the only information we actually exchanged was that I do not, in fact, have a boyfriend at school, thank you very much for asking. Now I'm listening to some lovely acoustic music to try and purge my mind of the rather gruesome thought of zombies spawning and eating people. And still working on not freezing. I think I'll try and sleep now; it's probably my warmest option. If I start having zombie nightmares... I just have to remember to count my fingers.....
Dismantle. Repair.
I'm home. I wasn't going to leave til tomorrow, but I didn't feel like sitting still. I still don't feel like sitting still. I'm very restless and discontent. I want to be somewhere else. I want to be with other people, and the people I want to be with the most are the hardest to pin down.
On the bright side, I got to see Shmoe tonight! It felt so normal for him to be there, and I can't explain why; even when he was going to Go-Co last year, it wasn't like we hung out all the time. But somehow it was like he never left. We made pizza at his sister's apartment and I brought peanut butter brownies. I bring brownies to almost everything, and if not brownies, then ba-freakin-nana awesome bread or seven-layer dip. Pretty much I buy people's friendship with food. Ahaha, I hope that's not actually true. I just really like feeding people.
Anyway, after that we went to the Prancing Pony, which is the new "tavern" on campus. It's got a lovely atmosphere and really feels like the old-time pub from Lord of the Rings. There are only two problems. One, it's not actually called "the Prancing Pony," although all the cool kids call it that. It's actually named after our donor's cat, Chester, and when some kids decided to be funny and steal the "Chester's Place" sign, our donor got pissed and threatened to withdraw funding. Eek. The other problem is that it's not even a real tavern because they don't serve alcohol. I'm not saying I'd drink it, even if I was of age. But come on, people. As my poetry professor said one class, "Why don't they get a fake brothel on campus, too?"
I digress again. After the tavern, we went to Claymore, where a friend of Shmoe's and his sister's gave them free drinks. Good stuff. Claymore is where most of my meal points go these days. Heh. Throughout all of this, the crowd of people with us was dwindling until it was just me and Shmoe. We walked around and visited some people in Wilson and Rider. One of Shmoe's friends in Rider has covered his entire wall with bottle caps. It looks fantastic and I kind of want to cover my bedroom door with bottle caps so I can pretend I'm half as awesome as this kid.
A little before 10, Shmoe and his sister left for home and I decided to do the same. And here I am, ready for the next thing. I'm ready for another concert. The more you go to, the worse the withdrawal symptoms get. Ravin and I might go see Cobra Starship on Friday. That would rule. Unless it's all psychotic little girls like last time. Ugh.
Overall it was a good night. It was great to finally see Shmoe again. So why do I feel so discontent, like something just isn't right? Like I'm not doing anything with my time or with my life, and I never have anything to show for the things I bother investing in, and I feel like I'm constantly dismantling things and relationships and other people and myself without having any clue how to repair them.
Wow, emo shpiel. Sorry to dump that on you. I get this way every so often and you can't hold it against me; I'm a woman.
On the bright side, I got to see Shmoe tonight! It felt so normal for him to be there, and I can't explain why; even when he was going to Go-Co last year, it wasn't like we hung out all the time. But somehow it was like he never left. We made pizza at his sister's apartment and I brought peanut butter brownies. I bring brownies to almost everything, and if not brownies, then ba-freakin-nana awesome bread or seven-layer dip. Pretty much I buy people's friendship with food. Ahaha, I hope that's not actually true. I just really like feeding people.
Anyway, after that we went to the Prancing Pony, which is the new "tavern" on campus. It's got a lovely atmosphere and really feels like the old-time pub from Lord of the Rings. There are only two problems. One, it's not actually called "the Prancing Pony," although all the cool kids call it that. It's actually named after our donor's cat, Chester, and when some kids decided to be funny and steal the "Chester's Place" sign, our donor got pissed and threatened to withdraw funding. Eek. The other problem is that it's not even a real tavern because they don't serve alcohol. I'm not saying I'd drink it, even if I was of age. But come on, people. As my poetry professor said one class, "Why don't they get a fake brothel on campus, too?"
I digress again. After the tavern, we went to Claymore, where a friend of Shmoe's and his sister's gave them free drinks. Good stuff. Claymore is where most of my meal points go these days. Heh. Throughout all of this, the crowd of people with us was dwindling until it was just me and Shmoe. We walked around and visited some people in Wilson and Rider. One of Shmoe's friends in Rider has covered his entire wall with bottle caps. It looks fantastic and I kind of want to cover my bedroom door with bottle caps so I can pretend I'm half as awesome as this kid.
A little before 10, Shmoe and his sister left for home and I decided to do the same. And here I am, ready for the next thing. I'm ready for another concert. The more you go to, the worse the withdrawal symptoms get. Ravin and I might go see Cobra Starship on Friday. That would rule. Unless it's all psychotic little girls like last time. Ugh.
Overall it was a good night. It was great to finally see Shmoe again. So why do I feel so discontent, like something just isn't right? Like I'm not doing anything with my time or with my life, and I never have anything to show for the things I bother investing in, and I feel like I'm constantly dismantling things and relationships and other people and myself without having any clue how to repair them.
Wow, emo shpiel. Sorry to dump that on you. I get this way every so often and you can't hold it against me; I'm a woman.
Sundae Sunday
After writing an awful draft of my paper about writer's block, I decided to follow the advice I'd researched and I'm being a lot more productive with this draft than the last one. I wrote the first one the way I play disc golf... incrementally. And inefficiently.
Razzmatazz and I are going to Bugaboo Creek for dinner tonight because I've got a coupon that'll expire if I don't use it today. I'm stoked for pizookie!! For those of you who are unenlightened in the realm of pizza cookies, pizookie is a big brownie-like cookie made and served hot in a skillet with vanilla ice cream melting all over the top. And I start to melt a little inside just thinking about it. Mmmmm....
I'm getting a little wanderlusty. This morning, driving back from church, I realized how badly I want to see mountains right now. New Hampshire would be okay, I guess, but I really want to see big purple mountains like the Colorado Rockies. And I also got this random urge to drive to Rockport and watch the sun come up again. I'd probably freeze, of course. But it would be so beautiful!
Okay, back to that paper. And for the record, I think Bronx Mowgli Wentz is possibly the worst name contrived by mankind thus far, except for maybe "Xiotil."
----------------------------------
Currently listening: Muse - "Origin of Symmetry"
Razzmatazz and I are going to Bugaboo Creek for dinner tonight because I've got a coupon that'll expire if I don't use it today. I'm stoked for pizookie!! For those of you who are unenlightened in the realm of pizza cookies, pizookie is a big brownie-like cookie made and served hot in a skillet with vanilla ice cream melting all over the top. And I start to melt a little inside just thinking about it. Mmmmm....
I'm getting a little wanderlusty. This morning, driving back from church, I realized how badly I want to see mountains right now. New Hampshire would be okay, I guess, but I really want to see big purple mountains like the Colorado Rockies. And I also got this random urge to drive to Rockport and watch the sun come up again. I'd probably freeze, of course. But it would be so beautiful!
Okay, back to that paper. And for the record, I think Bronx Mowgli Wentz is possibly the worst name contrived by mankind thus far, except for maybe "Xiotil."
----------------------------------
Currently listening: Muse - "Origin of Symmetry"
Everything is always for the band.
This is the second update I promised earlier this week. You see? I keep my word (usually ^_^).
The Spontaneous Concert Enthusiast called me up the other day around noon to ask if I wanted to go to a show that night, and of course, that's an offer I can't refuse, even if I don't know the band. So we drove about an hour to this sweet-in-a-really-tacky-way little venue to see a band called Kiros.
Except when we got there, the place was still closed. The doors were supposed to have opened, but even the bands hadn't gotten inside yet. SCE sort of knew the guys in Kiros from the time he met them at Soulfest and he introduced me to a couple of them.
Finally someone opened the place and we helped unload the equipment from the trailer. I was freezing because I never bring anything into concerts, so I'd left my coat in SCE's car and was toting equipment wearing just a t-shirt. Well I mean, I obviously had pants on. But it was still really cold. Then Neil, who plays guitar for Kiros, let me borrow his gloves, which were big enough for me to fit both hands in one glove and looked positively ridiculous on me. So, naturally, I wore them all night and even threatened never to give them back.
SCE and I talked to Kiros a bit more while the other bands set up and played. The first thing Ryan (also guitar) said to me - and the only thing he kept saying to me all night - was that I smelled like poop. He even wrote it on the poster he signed for me. But I think I talked to Neil the most. And at least he knew how to be a nice person (i.e. he wrote on my poster that I smelled good ^_^). Not that I had a problem with Ryan being a goofball. Hello, think about the guys I hang out with at home....
The first couple sets were okay. Nothing spectacular musically, and the crowd was really tiny - like maybe 50 people? I'm bad at estimating. Anyway, SCE and a couple other people got the semblance of a mosh pit going (if 3-5 people can be considered a mosh pit) and I joined in. Because there was so much space to run around, we were going pretty fast and it was scary when we actually collided with each other. But really flipping awesome.
Kiros' set was good times. Ryan started by lighting Tyler's cymbals on fire, which created a massive fireball when he started playing. And the songs were downright catchy regardless of whether I could sing along, although Barry, the lead singer, taught us newbies some of the words so we could join in.
SCE and I helped Kiros pack out after the show. At this point, it was like half an hour to SCE's birthday and he used that fact to his advantage by inviting the guys to fast food after the show. So when we finally left around midnight, Neil came with us in SCE's car and we followed the van. But Wendy's was closed, and so was McDonald's, so we wound up at Taco Bell.
Hi, I'm a vegetarian. At least at Mickey's I could've gotten a fake-shake (they don't use real milk, I'm told). Neil recommended the apple empanada so I got that and cheese quesadillas. Then we all squished into the back of the van to eat.
Hehe, Tyler's face in this one....
Barry gives SCE a birthday hug.
Barry tried to pretend like some brownies they had in the van were actually for SCE's birthday, but they were totally sketchy brownies. I have a feeling they left out the vegetable oil or some other crucial ingredient that boys wouldn't understand the importance of. I promised to make them amazingtastic brownies someday. (If I'm going to make a habit of keeping my word, I should probably not make promises that aren't easy to keep...)
Ryan with the brownies.
Barry tries to carve SCE's name into the brownies.
After we'd all eaten and enjoyed a few good laughs at ridiculous names we made up for tours (such as "The Velocirap-tour"), it was time to go. I was having so much fun I would've stayed all night, but by then it was probably around 1:30AM and we had at least an hour's drive back to school. I totally fell asleep on the ride back. I think I even snored a little, which always happens when I fall asleep sitting up. How embarrassing. ^_~
Priceless quotes:
"So when I turned seven, she turned... existing." (Neil talking about my sister, who has the same birthday as him.)
"You smell like poop." (Ryan)
"Tour baby! We're taking your baby on tour with us!!" (Neil)
"Come on! Give me a high five!" (Ryan, chasing a little girl around trying to get her to give him a high five. But Neil told her not to, and she wouldn't even look at Ryan after that.)
"I'm not gay; I'm just in a band." (Neil)
"Oh! Excuse me for interrupting myself with that awesome fart." (Neil)
"The Rugrats Rep-tour!!" (Barry)
"The... God is our Lord and Crea-tour!" (Ryan)
Me: Can I have a sip of your soda?
Neil: Only if you call it by its proper name. Say "pop."
Me: Okay, can I have a sip of your pop?
Neil: Sure!
The Spontaneous Concert Enthusiast called me up the other day around noon to ask if I wanted to go to a show that night, and of course, that's an offer I can't refuse, even if I don't know the band. So we drove about an hour to this sweet-in-a-really-tacky-way little venue to see a band called Kiros.
Except when we got there, the place was still closed. The doors were supposed to have opened, but even the bands hadn't gotten inside yet. SCE sort of knew the guys in Kiros from the time he met them at Soulfest and he introduced me to a couple of them.
Finally someone opened the place and we helped unload the equipment from the trailer. I was freezing because I never bring anything into concerts, so I'd left my coat in SCE's car and was toting equipment wearing just a t-shirt. Well I mean, I obviously had pants on. But it was still really cold. Then Neil, who plays guitar for Kiros, let me borrow his gloves, which were big enough for me to fit both hands in one glove and looked positively ridiculous on me. So, naturally, I wore them all night and even threatened never to give them back.
SCE and I talked to Kiros a bit more while the other bands set up and played. The first thing Ryan (also guitar) said to me - and the only thing he kept saying to me all night - was that I smelled like poop. He even wrote it on the poster he signed for me. But I think I talked to Neil the most. And at least he knew how to be a nice person (i.e. he wrote on my poster that I smelled good ^_^). Not that I had a problem with Ryan being a goofball. Hello, think about the guys I hang out with at home....
The first couple sets were okay. Nothing spectacular musically, and the crowd was really tiny - like maybe 50 people? I'm bad at estimating. Anyway, SCE and a couple other people got the semblance of a mosh pit going (if 3-5 people can be considered a mosh pit) and I joined in. Because there was so much space to run around, we were going pretty fast and it was scary when we actually collided with each other. But really flipping awesome.
Kiros' set was good times. Ryan started by lighting Tyler's cymbals on fire, which created a massive fireball when he started playing. And the songs were downright catchy regardless of whether I could sing along, although Barry, the lead singer, taught us newbies some of the words so we could join in.
SCE and I helped Kiros pack out after the show. At this point, it was like half an hour to SCE's birthday and he used that fact to his advantage by inviting the guys to fast food after the show. So when we finally left around midnight, Neil came with us in SCE's car and we followed the van. But Wendy's was closed, and so was McDonald's, so we wound up at Taco Bell.
Hi, I'm a vegetarian. At least at Mickey's I could've gotten a fake-shake (they don't use real milk, I'm told). Neil recommended the apple empanada so I got that and cheese quesadillas. Then we all squished into the back of the van to eat.
Hehe, Tyler's face in this one....
Barry gives SCE a birthday hug.
Barry tried to pretend like some brownies they had in the van were actually for SCE's birthday, but they were totally sketchy brownies. I have a feeling they left out the vegetable oil or some other crucial ingredient that boys wouldn't understand the importance of. I promised to make them amazingtastic brownies someday. (If I'm going to make a habit of keeping my word, I should probably not make promises that aren't easy to keep...)
Ryan with the brownies.
Barry tries to carve SCE's name into the brownies.
After we'd all eaten and enjoyed a few good laughs at ridiculous names we made up for tours (such as "The Velocirap-tour"), it was time to go. I was having so much fun I would've stayed all night, but by then it was probably around 1:30AM and we had at least an hour's drive back to school. I totally fell asleep on the ride back. I think I even snored a little, which always happens when I fall asleep sitting up. How embarrassing. ^_~
Priceless quotes:
"So when I turned seven, she turned... existing." (Neil talking about my sister, who has the same birthday as him.)
"You smell like poop." (Ryan)
"Tour baby! We're taking your baby on tour with us!!" (Neil)
"Come on! Give me a high five!" (Ryan, chasing a little girl around trying to get her to give him a high five. But Neil told her not to, and she wouldn't even look at Ryan after that.)
"I'm not gay; I'm just in a band." (Neil)
"Oh! Excuse me for interrupting myself with that awesome fart." (Neil)
"The Rugrats Rep-tour!!" (Barry)
"The... God is our Lord and Crea-tour!" (Ryan)
Me: Can I have a sip of your soda?
Neil: Only if you call it by its proper name. Say "pop."
Me: Okay, can I have a sip of your pop?
Neil: Sure!
When you dream about dyeing...
I dreamed I was dyeing my hair purple. And not just a little bit of it, like I have before; I mean ALL of it. And as I was doing it, I kept thinking, "I'm going home for Thanksgiving in four days. This is such a bad idea. It'll never wash out by then...."
That's funny, it's spelled just like the word ESCAPE!
I had a weird dream this morning when I decided I didn't want to get up just yet and snuggled back up under the covers. (Best decision I've made all day... it's flippin' cold outside!)
I was at some sort of institution. I don't know what or where it was or why I was in there, but it was a bad place. I never saw what they did but I was terrified they'd find me and do whatever it was to ME.
I had a friend (for some reason I think it was Eva), and she and I were exploring the place trying to find a way out. But we kept getting caught and sent back.
Then everybody was outside for something. The place looked suspiciously like a school from the outside. Eva and I slipped away in the dark to the parking lot. I must have gone there willingly to begin with because my car was there, unlocked, with the keys on the seat and all the google maps directions I've printed recently littering the floor by the passenger seat.
But we had been followed, and as we were trying to get into the car, a security guy came out of nowhere to deter us. I was halfway in the car and not gonna let this dude stop me from getting away. Eva was in the passenger seat and the guy was just focused on stopping me from getting in the car. I shut the door; he pulled it open; I shut it again. We went back and forth like this until I managed to lock the door, which kept him out. We were free.
Then it jumped to a small, touristy kind of town. I didn't have the car anymore and I was with a different friend, I think Chaaz. We were on scooters, trying to find this guy's house because he would be able to help us. I'm not sure what we needed help with; I guess maybe evading the people running the institution. Or maybe this dream was completely unrelated. I'm usually running from someone in my dreams.
And yeah, that's it. Apparently all that took well over an hour and I managed to sleep well past eleven. Shooooot. At least my class wasn't until 1:15 today. =)
I was at some sort of institution. I don't know what or where it was or why I was in there, but it was a bad place. I never saw what they did but I was terrified they'd find me and do whatever it was to ME.
I had a friend (for some reason I think it was Eva), and she and I were exploring the place trying to find a way out. But we kept getting caught and sent back.
Then everybody was outside for something. The place looked suspiciously like a school from the outside. Eva and I slipped away in the dark to the parking lot. I must have gone there willingly to begin with because my car was there, unlocked, with the keys on the seat and all the google maps directions I've printed recently littering the floor by the passenger seat.
But we had been followed, and as we were trying to get into the car, a security guy came out of nowhere to deter us. I was halfway in the car and not gonna let this dude stop me from getting away. Eva was in the passenger seat and the guy was just focused on stopping me from getting in the car. I shut the door; he pulled it open; I shut it again. We went back and forth like this until I managed to lock the door, which kept him out. We were free.
Then it jumped to a small, touristy kind of town. I didn't have the car anymore and I was with a different friend, I think Chaaz. We were on scooters, trying to find this guy's house because he would be able to help us. I'm not sure what we needed help with; I guess maybe evading the people running the institution. Or maybe this dream was completely unrelated. I'm usually running from someone in my dreams.
And yeah, that's it. Apparently all that took well over an hour and I managed to sleep well past eleven. Shooooot. At least my class wasn't until 1:15 today. =)
YEAH, I'm a scene kid. What of it?
Okay, update time. This one'll be kind of long because I actually have a life this week.
Number One:
I went to a FREE Mae show at Wanda's school. Beforehand we ate dinner at one of her friends' apartments. It was really yummy - rice, fish, curry (which I couldn't have because it had chicken in it), and an eggy-tomatoey thing that was absolutely heavenly. Dinner took a lot longer than we thought and we were sure we wouldn't get to the venue in time, but the doors opened later than they were supposed to and we got there in plenty of time.
The place was TINY; it was a Starbucks with a little stage area toward the back - not a whole lot bigger than your average coffee shop. We were right on top of the stage the whole show, quite literally - I had one foot resting on the stage and was leaning on the speakers.
Me sitting on the stage with Jacob's shmexy drum set in the background.
I got a very pleasant surprise when I saw that Mark, the bassist who left the band in summer '07 because he got married, had returned!! He was always sort of my favorite. He was so pretty, but mysterious. He played his bass in the shadows and didn't show up in the podcasts. If he did, it was with the whole group and he never said anything. In fact, I don't know if I'd ever heard his voice until that night. But surprisingly, he was grinning the whole show, clearly having the time of his life as he cracked jokes on stage and slapped Zach (guitar)'s butt while Zach was adjusting equipment. I figured he must have been really happy with his marriage and thought, 'good for him.'
Mark, Jacob, and Zach
The show was good times. They played a ton of songs off their first album, Destination: Beautiful, including "Soundtrack to our Movie," "All Deliberate Speed," and one I never expected to hear live, "Skyline Drive." They also played "Countdown," which was my first favorite song off The Everglow because it reminded me of wanting to get the heck out of my podunk little town. AND they played the totally-adorable "Just Let Go" off Singularity, their newest album. It's a falling-in-love song so naturally I'm a sucker for it.
Zach, Dave, and New Rob
When the show ended, Mark was getting off the stage and he steadied himself on my arm, so I seized the opportunity and stopped him for a second to ask when he'd joined back up. "I'm not here," he told me conspiratorially. "I'm a ghost." Grinning the whole time. And smelling of alcohol. Dag, that explained a lot, I guess. I said I would like to take a picture with him even though he was only a ghost.
Me with Mark, and new Rob being a goof in the background.
Then Mark was talking about how he was exhausted beyond all reason, and anything we said, he'd probably be like "yeahh! Good idea!" So, jokingly, since I knew he was already married, I nudged him and said, "Hey Mark, wanna get married sometime?" He was like, "There's only one problem with that idea..." and made a big show of pulling out his wedding ring.
Then he went on to show us how he'd burned off a bunch of hair on his arm with an accidental fireball he caused while repairing equipment (ADD much?), and the topic would've been dropped, except that as I went around talking to the other guys and getting pictures with them, he kept coming up to me and saying random stuff. He was one of those people who can't just, like, come up and talk to you; he's got to get your attention by touching your arm or your shoulder or like putting his arm around you. Maybe that was the booze talking, or maybe I just got hit on by a rock star. XD
He kept telling me my glasses were cool. The second time, he was wearing glasses too, so I made him switch with me and then he made fun of how blind I was.
Me with New Rob, who replaced Old-Asian-Rob on keys.
Everyone with Zach (guitar)
Me with Dave (vocals and guitar)
I talked to Jacob (drums) for a really long time. He remembered some discs I gave them of pictures of Mark and Rob when both left the band last summer. He also remembered my story about missing Relient K and then seeing Mae at the Warped Tour in '05 and how their set made it all worthwhile.
Mark came over again after that and Jacob went to pack up his gear. Then I realized I'd forgotten to ask about the whole "multi-sensory aesthetic experience" theory their name comes from. I knew one of the guys in the band had come up with the theory, but I didn't know which one. Mark told me I should ask Jacob about it, so I jumped up on stage and talked to him about it for a really long time.
Turns out the idea derives from the two years of intense research he did on my favorite condition ever, synaesthesia. He told me the idea of the band was to recreate a synaesthetic experience for non-synaesthetes, hence the random videos they had playing behind them during the set. I think they should find a way to incorporate smell into shows, too. That'd be REALLY multi-sensory.
When we were done talking, I was walking back over to where Wanda and Fran were waiting for me to stop being a groupie when Mark bounded over to me yet again, saying, "Hey! Look at that guy. Don't you think he's a pretty foxy guy?" I laughed but I couldn't figure out whether he was talking about Jacob or the crew guy, both of whom were in the vicinity of where he pointed. Then he randomly asked how old I was (I couldn't help thinking of Adventure Time: "how old ARE you?" "I'm twelve years old!" "I'm twenty-eight!") He got all wistful thinking about when he was nineteen and told me it's a good age and I should squeeze as much goodness out of it as possible.
Which I guess I've been doing this week. I keep thinking about an away message one of my friends had up a couple years ago - something to the effect of, in twenty years, you won't remember the homework, but the fast times in between. And yeah, the TAI spin on that statement WAS necessary.
I'm off to class for now. But don't think this is the end. The end is not the end.
--------------
Currently listening: Kiros - A Single Strand
Number One:
I went to a FREE Mae show at Wanda's school. Beforehand we ate dinner at one of her friends' apartments. It was really yummy - rice, fish, curry (which I couldn't have because it had chicken in it), and an eggy-tomatoey thing that was absolutely heavenly. Dinner took a lot longer than we thought and we were sure we wouldn't get to the venue in time, but the doors opened later than they were supposed to and we got there in plenty of time.
The place was TINY; it was a Starbucks with a little stage area toward the back - not a whole lot bigger than your average coffee shop. We were right on top of the stage the whole show, quite literally - I had one foot resting on the stage and was leaning on the speakers.
Me sitting on the stage with Jacob's shmexy drum set in the background.
I got a very pleasant surprise when I saw that Mark, the bassist who left the band in summer '07 because he got married, had returned!! He was always sort of my favorite. He was so pretty, but mysterious. He played his bass in the shadows and didn't show up in the podcasts. If he did, it was with the whole group and he never said anything. In fact, I don't know if I'd ever heard his voice until that night. But surprisingly, he was grinning the whole show, clearly having the time of his life as he cracked jokes on stage and slapped Zach (guitar)'s butt while Zach was adjusting equipment. I figured he must have been really happy with his marriage and thought, 'good for him.'
Mark, Jacob, and Zach
The show was good times. They played a ton of songs off their first album, Destination: Beautiful, including "Soundtrack to our Movie," "All Deliberate Speed," and one I never expected to hear live, "Skyline Drive." They also played "Countdown," which was my first favorite song off The Everglow because it reminded me of wanting to get the heck out of my podunk little town. AND they played the totally-adorable "Just Let Go" off Singularity, their newest album. It's a falling-in-love song so naturally I'm a sucker for it.
Zach, Dave, and New Rob
When the show ended, Mark was getting off the stage and he steadied himself on my arm, so I seized the opportunity and stopped him for a second to ask when he'd joined back up. "I'm not here," he told me conspiratorially. "I'm a ghost." Grinning the whole time. And smelling of alcohol. Dag, that explained a lot, I guess. I said I would like to take a picture with him even though he was only a ghost.
Me with Mark, and new Rob being a goof in the background.
Then Mark was talking about how he was exhausted beyond all reason, and anything we said, he'd probably be like "yeahh! Good idea!" So, jokingly, since I knew he was already married, I nudged him and said, "Hey Mark, wanna get married sometime?" He was like, "There's only one problem with that idea..." and made a big show of pulling out his wedding ring.
Then he went on to show us how he'd burned off a bunch of hair on his arm with an accidental fireball he caused while repairing equipment (ADD much?), and the topic would've been dropped, except that as I went around talking to the other guys and getting pictures with them, he kept coming up to me and saying random stuff. He was one of those people who can't just, like, come up and talk to you; he's got to get your attention by touching your arm or your shoulder or like putting his arm around you. Maybe that was the booze talking, or maybe I just got hit on by a rock star. XD
He kept telling me my glasses were cool. The second time, he was wearing glasses too, so I made him switch with me and then he made fun of how blind I was.
Me with New Rob, who replaced Old-Asian-Rob on keys.
Everyone with Zach (guitar)
Me with Dave (vocals and guitar)
I talked to Jacob (drums) for a really long time. He remembered some discs I gave them of pictures of Mark and Rob when both left the band last summer. He also remembered my story about missing Relient K and then seeing Mae at the Warped Tour in '05 and how their set made it all worthwhile.
Mark came over again after that and Jacob went to pack up his gear. Then I realized I'd forgotten to ask about the whole "multi-sensory aesthetic experience" theory their name comes from. I knew one of the guys in the band had come up with the theory, but I didn't know which one. Mark told me I should ask Jacob about it, so I jumped up on stage and talked to him about it for a really long time.
Turns out the idea derives from the two years of intense research he did on my favorite condition ever, synaesthesia. He told me the idea of the band was to recreate a synaesthetic experience for non-synaesthetes, hence the random videos they had playing behind them during the set. I think they should find a way to incorporate smell into shows, too. That'd be REALLY multi-sensory.
When we were done talking, I was walking back over to where Wanda and Fran were waiting for me to stop being a groupie when Mark bounded over to me yet again, saying, "Hey! Look at that guy. Don't you think he's a pretty foxy guy?" I laughed but I couldn't figure out whether he was talking about Jacob or the crew guy, both of whom were in the vicinity of where he pointed. Then he randomly asked how old I was (I couldn't help thinking of Adventure Time: "how old ARE you?" "I'm twelve years old!" "I'm twenty-eight!") He got all wistful thinking about when he was nineteen and told me it's a good age and I should squeeze as much goodness out of it as possible.
Which I guess I've been doing this week. I keep thinking about an away message one of my friends had up a couple years ago - something to the effect of, in twenty years, you won't remember the homework, but the fast times in between. And yeah, the TAI spin on that statement WAS necessary.
I'm off to class for now. But don't think this is the end. The end is not the end.
--------------
Currently listening: Kiros - A Single Strand
Re-cap (more soon).
I've got a nice little re-cap video of the Rapscallion Jingle Jangle compressing right this very moment. While I wait for it to finish, just a little update on my life.
I am tired. Very, very tired. I had to get up at 5:45 AM today to shoot footage for my applied communication class's short film. We left for Alewife at 6:15 and started shooting by 8. The little boy we got was perfect for the part. He was an endless bundle of energy, flying up and down the car and hanging from the hand-rails even when the shot didn't call for it. I wish he would've shared a little of that enthusiasm. Merh. We went out for barbecue when the shoot was over and I bent my vegetarian rules because the place smelled so fab and I didn't want to be a wet towel. So apparently I am a social carnivore. Better than being a social alcoholic, I guess. XD
I have many a tale to tell about my Saturday night. Teaser: Asian food, free concert, aaand me getting hit on by famous people. More soon....
Hooray! The video is ready for your viewing pleasure. Enjoyyy.
I am tired. Very, very tired. I had to get up at 5:45 AM today to shoot footage for my applied communication class's short film. We left for Alewife at 6:15 and started shooting by 8. The little boy we got was perfect for the part. He was an endless bundle of energy, flying up and down the car and hanging from the hand-rails even when the shot didn't call for it. I wish he would've shared a little of that enthusiasm. Merh. We went out for barbecue when the shoot was over and I bent my vegetarian rules because the place smelled so fab and I didn't want to be a wet towel. So apparently I am a social carnivore. Better than being a social alcoholic, I guess. XD
I have many a tale to tell about my Saturday night. Teaser: Asian food, free concert, aaand me getting hit on by famous people. More soon....
Hooray! The video is ready for your viewing pleasure. Enjoyyy.
I never tire of sleeping with giants.
-------------------
Oooh myyy. My body hurts. And it was so worth every push and shove, every moment my lungs couldn't find the space to fill up, my shoelaces getting untied and unlaced, the time I got knocked down and pigpiled upon, and the time someone crashed into me and I sort of bit off a little bit of my tongue. Why?
Because after all the blood, sweat, and tears (okay, mostly just sweat), I was only ten feet away from the band's beautiful faces.
I managed to hand Billvy the present I made them, and I was sort of bummed that other people had already handed him presents. BUT, he got theirs in the middle of songs; I gave him mine between songs and he actually thanked me. He didn't say it into the microphone or anything. He just mouthed it to me. We had a moment. It was beautiful.
Bill sang right at the edge of the stage for most of the show and I was just inches short of being able to reach his hand when he would reach out into the crowd. A little further into the set, I wiggled my way just a few inches closer, which put me in range. At one point he was leaning completely on my hand. And I got to touch his pretty hair. And during "About a Girl," when he sang the line, "I'm not gonna waste these words about a girl," he reached out and held my hand and looked right into my eyes!! *fangirl squeee*
Then, at the very end of the show, Sisky came right up to the edge of the stage and I stroked his bass. That was pretty sweet, too. The lights went down for a minute and we saw the Butcher holding up my present, which was glowing in the dark!! Aaand Billvy played a brand new song called "Winter Passing" on his acoustic guitar (*melts*). Obsessive fan that I am, I already knew some of the words and sang along.
Oh, mid-show, Bill decided to announce that a couple off to the side of the stage had been making out the entire show. And that they were still making out, even after he made the announcement.
After the show, Wanda ran into Sisky and took a picture with him, but Schneckleface and I didn't get a chance to. But the night wasn't over yet. Wanda, Schneckleface and I went out behind the venue to lurk the tour bus. That SAME psycho little girl from the Cobra show was there. Not the one with the AA-cup bra, but the one we actually talked to who said she was gonna stay there til 3AM and tried to tell everyone she was 15 (a blatant lie; we're not sure she's even reached puberty yet, actually).
Luckily, we also ran into cooler people, such as Sisky Business and Michael Guy Chislett. We saw the Butcher for like 30 seconds but he was just looking for his art supplies underneath the bus and wouldn't speak to us.
I also saw Jack the camera guy and asked if I could help him make TAITV this week, but he said they weren't filming anything tonight. Maybe I can help next time they're in Boston. And maybe I'll actually get to meet Billvy next time (but being serenaded by him was enough this time).
In a last ditch attempt to attract Billvy's attention, I wrote backwards in the dirt on the tour bus window, "BILLVY!! COME OUT! <3" But I guess he didn't see it. I also wrote "TAI is wicked awesome" (a true Bostonian remark) and my blog address, strategically placed under the address of the William Beckett blog. Did anyone see that....? XD
Then we got Schneckleface to the commuter rail and pigged out at Dunks. On a side note, their white hot chocolate is wack. Not wiggity wack; just regular type. Hahaha. When I bought it, I said, "My moves are white hot. No they're not. But my chocolate is."
For the record...
...it's 11:11 on 11/11.
Oh, and Angry Frodo is awesome. Because he gave me the best soundtrack ever. LEGALLY, OF COURSE. LEGALLY.
Oh, and Angry Frodo is awesome. Because he gave me the best soundtrack ever. LEGALLY, OF COURSE. LEGALLY.
One more day!!!
-----------------
Ugh. My art project kept me up all night. I ended up sending it in with a girl on my floor who's also in that class and went back to sleep til 11.
There was a coffee house type shindig last night and there were some really fantastic acts. This one guy was almost as good as Trace Bundy Another kid played two or three really pretty and thoughtful song on piano and acoustic guitar before breaking out into the Pokemon theme song. I'll post the videos soon but I'm gonna be late for class, and I really shouldn't skip another one today.
Music, Cheese and Victory
Countdown: 2 MORE DAYS TIL TAI...!
Song of the Day:
----------------------
Complaint of the day: Cheese should not be yellow. I cannot eat yellow American cheese and kid myself into thinking it's real. Even if it is. The color is just so... artificial and... unappetizing. Sort of like the sewage smell outside of Lane. Ugh.
Exciting news of the day: I've got lots of fun new music!! The best of Radiohead, all four of Jon Foreman's acoustic EPs, aaaaaaand THE CASTLE IN THE SKY SOUNDTRACK!!!
But the best news of all is that, after staring blankly at a wall for weeks and weeks, I think I've finally worked out some of the problems with the book I'm writing. Thanks to a book about screenplays, which I'm reading for Media Writing, and my research for that paper on writer's block.
I'm really upset because I can't find John Seel's business card, and he hasn't e-mailed me about that agent or anything so I really need to get in touch with him. SUCK.
Song of the Day:
----------------------
Complaint of the day: Cheese should not be yellow. I cannot eat yellow American cheese and kid myself into thinking it's real. Even if it is. The color is just so... artificial and... unappetizing. Sort of like the sewage smell outside of Lane. Ugh.
Exciting news of the day: I've got lots of fun new music!! The best of Radiohead, all four of Jon Foreman's acoustic EPs, aaaaaaand THE CASTLE IN THE SKY SOUNDTRACK!!!
But the best news of all is that, after staring blankly at a wall for weeks and weeks, I think I've finally worked out some of the problems with the book I'm writing. Thanks to a book about screenplays, which I'm reading for Media Writing, and my research for that paper on writer's block.
I'm really upset because I can't find John Seel's business card, and he hasn't e-mailed me about that agent or anything so I really need to get in touch with him. SUCK.
Start the Countdown! 3 more days.
Well, Billvy posts music to his blog all the time and I think it's a great idea. So for the next few days, Ima do a countdown to Bill and Trav's Bogus Journey Tour on Wednesday, featuring a song from one band on the tour every day until THE Day.
In other news, I was supposed to scout the Red Line today for a movie my applied communication class is making on the subway. But I slept through my alarm, which went off at 6:40 because we were going to leave at 7.
I guess it was kind of worth it since I had this bonkers dream in which I knew I was dreaming. There was a ski lift and some cows grazing on a mountainside. I'm not sure what that had to do with anything. But then I remembered a conversation I had with the Spontaneous Concert Enthusiast and Angry Frodo about being able to control your dreams, so I thought, "OKAY! Let's see. I'd like to run into Tim Skipper [from House of Heroes] right now. And go!" And I turned around, and there he was!! Crazy, huh?
Okay, time to go work on that research paper about writer's block. Ironically, I've got some sort of block to actually starting this paper, but I think that's just because I don't want to work. I want to write my boooooook! I've got loads of new strategies for overcoming the blocks that've kept me from working on that! Ok. Speed writing. And go!
In other news, I was supposed to scout the Red Line today for a movie my applied communication class is making on the subway. But I slept through my alarm, which went off at 6:40 because we were going to leave at 7.
I guess it was kind of worth it since I had this bonkers dream in which I knew I was dreaming. There was a ski lift and some cows grazing on a mountainside. I'm not sure what that had to do with anything. But then I remembered a conversation I had with the Spontaneous Concert Enthusiast and Angry Frodo about being able to control your dreams, so I thought, "OKAY! Let's see. I'd like to run into Tim Skipper [from House of Heroes] right now. And go!" And I turned around, and there he was!! Crazy, huh?
Okay, time to go work on that research paper about writer's block. Ironically, I've got some sort of block to actually starting this paper, but I think that's just because I don't want to work. I want to write my boooooook! I've got loads of new strategies for overcoming the blocks that've kept me from working on that! Ok. Speed writing. And go!
Sacred (or sacrilegious)
Abraham Revisited
Here,
in the sprawling shade of tamarisk,
at the fount of shifting sands and stars,
his promise was fulfilled:
A desert rose
spiraled up from the badlands, and I
could only gaze in wonder, laughing –
laughing along
with Sarah and my desert rose.
The sands slipped by,
and after a time God said, “Son,
bring your desert rose to me.”
And I brought him.
He said, “Father, where is the lamb?”
And I, who could not bear to
prune his laughter, eased his mind.
But at the peak we found only our
selves; and the boy saw he
was the lamb, and I saw that
I could not but
stay my hand – and so a
promise was cut
off. God said to
slay my desert rose,
but I could not.
---------------------------------
For my poetry class, inspired by that guy who read his translation of the Abraham story at the Seamus Heaney reading. I kept expecting his poem to somehow tell a new and different story, such as one in which Abraham wouldn't sacrifice Isaac, but it never did, and I was disappointed.
This is basically how I would've felt if I'd been in Abraham's shoes.
Here,
in the sprawling shade of tamarisk,
at the fount of shifting sands and stars,
his promise was fulfilled:
A desert rose
spiraled up from the badlands, and I
could only gaze in wonder, laughing –
laughing along
with Sarah and my desert rose.
The sands slipped by,
and after a time God said, “Son,
bring your desert rose to me.”
And I brought him.
He said, “Father, where is the lamb?”
And I, who could not bear to
prune his laughter, eased his mind.
But at the peak we found only our
selves; and the boy saw he
was the lamb, and I saw that
I could not but
stay my hand – and so a
promise was cut
off. God said to
slay my desert rose,
but I could not.
---------------------------------
For my poetry class, inspired by that guy who read his translation of the Abraham story at the Seamus Heaney reading. I kept expecting his poem to somehow tell a new and different story, such as one in which Abraham wouldn't sacrifice Isaac, but it never did, and I was disappointed.
This is basically how I would've felt if I'd been in Abraham's shoes.
Nothing Is So Beautiful
“Nothing is so Beautiful”
(revised 11/05/08)
I’ve never seen so much nothing.
Our high beams perch rest-
lessly on the tombstones of a ghost town,
pale widowmakers poking out of the plains like toothpicks.
The fender feeds on receding white dashes.
We leave no trail.
The stars fall over Flagstaff,
then flare up on the flat horizon where
the burnt moon balances,
an orange on a string.
Nothing is so beautiful.
The dawn broke on the canyon’s rim.
Its yolk trickles into the crannies
and crevices of rock.
On the shore of a yellow sea of daisies,
the rusty smokestacks of Sedona masquerade as turrets
floating in the sky.
Someone slashed the plateau
and it bled into the hills. Wind and water
shape the places we go.
Nothing is so beautiful.
(revised 11/05/08)
I’ve never seen so much nothing.
Our high beams perch rest-
lessly on the tombstones of a ghost town,
pale widowmakers poking out of the plains like toothpicks.
The fender feeds on receding white dashes.
We leave no trail.
The stars fall over Flagstaff,
then flare up on the flat horizon where
the burnt moon balances,
an orange on a string.
Nothing is so beautiful.
The dawn broke on the canyon’s rim.
Its yolk trickles into the crannies
and crevices of rock.
On the shore of a yellow sea of daisies,
the rusty smokestacks of Sedona masquerade as turrets
floating in the sky.
Someone slashed the plateau
and it bled into the hills. Wind and water
shape the places we go.
Nothing is so beautiful.
Some sorta update
It's been a while since I posted. Life happens. I'm back.
I'm revising a poem about the southwest and I'll post it when this draft is done.
My schedule next quad looks like this:
M/W/F:
9:10 - Sociological Perspectives
1:00 - Astronomy (I've ALWAYS wanted to take astronomy!!)
6:30 (Mondays only) - Intro to Digital Video Production (which I should have taken before doing GO-FILM last year OR applied comm this year... thanks to the kind souls in the comm arts department who let me do things a little out of order =D).
T/Th (I refuse to abbreviate Thursday with the letter R.)
11:30 - Great Ideas, Antiquity (with my faculty hero, Brian Glenney.)
8:00 - Photography
Fourth quad I drop Sociology and Philosophy and pick up aerobic walking. Hmm. So I'll hardly have any academics at that point. Yet somehow I'm making 16 credits...? Maybe I should pick up another quad class so I don't get bored. Or maybe I should just get working on that book. We'll see.
Today I'll be babysitting from my usual time, 12:45, until the kids go to school tomorrow morning, and I'm getting a hundred bucks for this. Which is excellent, since I wasn't sure how I was going to pay Wanda back for our The Academy Is... tickets. The Lord will provide!
And since I'm already talking about TAI... ONE WEEK LEFT!!! Yeah, we're going into Boston like 5 hours early to lurk the venue.... And as soon as we find Jack the camera guy, Ima ask him if I can do an internship with him.... XD
I'm revising a poem about the southwest and I'll post it when this draft is done.
My schedule next quad looks like this:
M/W/F:
9:10 - Sociological Perspectives
1:00 - Astronomy (I've ALWAYS wanted to take astronomy!!)
6:30 (Mondays only) - Intro to Digital Video Production (which I should have taken before doing GO-FILM last year OR applied comm this year... thanks to the kind souls in the comm arts department who let me do things a little out of order =D).
T/Th (I refuse to abbreviate Thursday with the letter R.)
11:30 - Great Ideas, Antiquity (with my faculty hero, Brian Glenney.)
8:00 - Photography
Fourth quad I drop Sociology and Philosophy and pick up aerobic walking. Hmm. So I'll hardly have any academics at that point. Yet somehow I'm making 16 credits...? Maybe I should pick up another quad class so I don't get bored. Or maybe I should just get working on that book. We'll see.
Today I'll be babysitting from my usual time, 12:45, until the kids go to school tomorrow morning, and I'm getting a hundred bucks for this. Which is excellent, since I wasn't sure how I was going to pay Wanda back for our The Academy Is... tickets. The Lord will provide!
And since I'm already talking about TAI... ONE WEEK LEFT!!! Yeah, we're going into Boston like 5 hours early to lurk the venue.... And as soon as we find Jack the camera guy, Ima ask him if I can do an internship with him.... XD
